Basic Skills in Complex Contexts

FIN Commons

LPC Lesson Study and Katie Hern’s Visit

Posted by Katie on May 14, 2009 in Basic Skills in Context, Developing Questions, Literacy, Making Visible, Metacognition, Video Evidence, Writing with No Comments


I posted before about how valuable Coach Katie’s visit to LPC was . . . I have now posted the lesson study questions that informed our discussion of the lesson, which we watched footage of during our meeting.  It was very interesting to consider the value and utility of the grammar lesson from the student’s perspective.  I think we all agreed that it’s hard for students to see the grammar in context when it is taught in the lab.  The best thing the assistants do is have students write their own sentences, as opposed to just checking over workbook sentences.  So, check out the media library for the lesson study questions.  More on our answers to the questions at the FIN retreat!

LPC–Talking to Our Students

Posted by Katie on May 14, 2009 in Developing Questions, Student Confidence, Student Interviews, Student Teams, Student Voice, Video Evidence with No Comments


April has seen our video team (Mass. Comm. students, aided by team member Michelle Gonzales and Mass. Comm. instructor Jin Tsubota) jumping into student interviews and filming.   May has added on our English basic skills student co-inquirers, who are recording oral interviews with students currently in the basic skills program.  I have uploaded our questions to the media library so that you all can poach them–it has been *so* valuable to hear what our students have to say to student interviewers!  Finally, our counselor team member, Nancy Wright, has been calling students who have dropped and asking them a series of questions.  A few of the students she called walked right over to her office and got some very valuable help!  She wishes she could make a personal connection with every student.  I have uploaded Nancy’s questions to the media library as well.  All questions were drafted with the help of our student co-inquirers and the two student filmmakers.

Not a Big Deal

Posted by Jan Connal on April 15, 2009 in Identity, Learning to Learn, Making Visible, Math, Student Confidence, Student Interviews, Student Voice, Video Evidence with No Comments


This clip represents a pre-algebra student’s experience learning math.

Challenging Work and Student Engagement

Posted by Jan Connal on April 7, 2009 in Math, Student Interviews, Student Voice, Video Evidence with No Comments


Here’s a student sharing his experience as a learner in pre-algebra.

Carnegie Perspectives: A different way to think about … assessment of student learning

Posted by Jamie Chandler on April 1, 2009 in Carnegie Perspectives, Student Voice, Technology, Video Evidence with No Comments


Here is an article written by Bill Cerbin. He was a Carnegie Scholar, participating in the Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in 1998 and 2003. He is professor of psychology and director of the Center for Advancing Teaching & Learning at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse where he also directs the College Lesson Study Project.

This article was published in “Carnegie Perspectives” last March. Cerbin addresses the issues of assessing student learning including lesson study and think alouds.

Carnegie Perspectives: A different way to think about … assessment of student learning by Bill Cerbin

About FIN

The Faculty Inquiry Network’s (FIN) purpose is to support professional development which includes: conducting faculty inquiry; revisiting basic skills assumptions; interpreting and integrating data; accessing student voices; developing students as co-inquirers; making visible; using technology for teaching and learning; creating and supporting new initiatives, curriculum and program development; constructing educational tools using digital media; and hosting dialogue around student and faculty learning.

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